If Ron Stayed
by PersonWhoWritesStuff
Summary: What Hermione could have said to convince Ron to stay in DH, and then what would have happened in the Silver Doe chapter if he had stayed. Kind of a random, short idea of a story.


This was just a random idea that I thought of, the other night, when I was half-asleep, half-awake, and decided to write down. This is what I think Hermione could have said to convince Ron to stay.

* * *

Hermione ran out, after Ron. There was so much rain, she had trouble seeing

She eventually caught up to him, right before he was out of reach of the enchantments she put up.

"RON!" she yelled, "RON! RON! STOP!" she grabbed his arm.

As soon as she did, Ron whipped around and pushed her off, so hard that she fell to the ground.

Immediately, Ron bent down to help her up, "I'm sorry," he said, "I really didn't mean to do that . . ."

There was something in his voice that was unlike the tone he used in the tent.

Ignoring what he just did, she said, "You can't leave!"

When she got up, Ron said, "Why not! ? _He_ wants me to!" he gestured toward the tent.

"No he doesn't! He just thinks he does because you two got into a fight! Besides, _I_ don't want you to leave!"

"Come with me, then!"

Hermione shook her head, looking as if she couldn't believe what he was saying, "No! I can't just _leave_ Harry!"

"Of course you can't," he said acidly, turning around.

"You can't either!" she yelled at him.

"Oh yeah? Just watch me . . ."

"I won't let you!" She grabbed onto his arm again.

"Hermione, if you don't let go of me, I'll apparate with you," he threatened.

"RON! You're Harry's best friend! How can you even think of leaving him! ?"

"He doesn't know what he's doing!"

"That's exactly what he said from the start, when we both agreed to help him!"

Ron eventually turned around.

Still holding onto him, Hermione spoke softer now, "He's like a brother to you. And-and to me too. We can't just leave him! Neither of us! I'm not letting go until you promise to stay!""

He looked at her, wanting to ask her to repeat what she said about Harry being like a brother to her, but then figured he was lucky enough to have heard it once.

Heaving a great sigh, he finally said, "Fine. I'll stay." _But only if you _mean_ that Harry is like a brother to you_, he wanted to add.

She looked at him hesitantly, "Promise?"

After a brief pause, Ron nodded, "Yeah, I promise."

As soon as he promised, Hermione reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Good," she said into his ear.

Unfortunately, right as his brain processed that she was hugging him, and he was about to wrap his arms around her, she pulled away.

"Come on," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him back toward the tent.

Still somewhat reluctant, he gave in and let her lead him to the tent.

When they got inside, Harry looked up, still as angry as he was before, "What are you still doing here?"

"I'm staying," Ron said firmly.

"What if I don't want you to stay?"

Hermione looked fearfully from one to the other. It seemed she was deciding if she should pull out her wand again or not.

But Ron just simply said, "Well then that's just too bad, 'cause I am."

Harry glared at Ron for what felt like years, but eventually said, "Only if you realize that I _do_ actually care about your family too. Your parents are like parents to me, and your brothers are like brothers to me."

As Harry said this, Ron moved to sit down on one of the arm chairs. He thought for a moment, then looked up at Harry and said, "And my sister?"

"Okay . . . well-now-see, your sister's a bit different . . ."

Ron smiled, then after a moment, frowned and said, "I'm sorry . . . for everything I said. I don't actually think you don't care about my family. I'm just worried about them, is all. And that bloody horcrux isn't helping me any!"

Harry looked at Ron for a while, then eventually nodded, and said, "Alright."

Hermione looked between Ron and Harry. When it appeared the tension had decreased, she stepped forward, picked up the horcrux lying on the chair, and placed it around her neck.

And that was the end of it.

* * *

A/N: I know what you're thinking (at least I'm guessing what you're thinking): If Ron hadn't left, than he wouldn't have come back, and been able to save Harry. But, I'd like to think that because Ron stayed, the rotation of who kept watch was affected, so that it was Ron's turn, and Hermione had been with him to keep him company. So, here's how I think that part would have gone down:

* * *

Ron sat at the entrance of the tent. It was his turn to keep watch that night. Unfortunately it was also his turn to wear the horcrux that night. It didn't help that it was freezing out, and Ron was still shaken from their encounter with Voldemort.

As it started to get so dark that he could barely see his hand in front of his face, he heard someone come up behind him.

"Hey."

Looking over his shoulder, he saw, in the light the opening of the tent's entrance cast, that it was Hermione. He ignored her.

Hermione frowned at this, then said, "How are you?"

He merely grunted in response.

She sat down next to him, then reached up to his neck with both hands, and pulled the horcrux off of him.

Immediately, Ron felt like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He realized that he had had a headache a moment ago. He also suddenly felt bad for ignoring Hermione.

Before he could apologize, though, she said, "I don't think you should have to wear it, if you at least keep track of it."

"Thanks," he muttered, "And I'm sorry-"

"Its fine," she said, "I know what it's like when you're wearing that."

After a long moment of silence, Hermione spoke again, "You know, I'm really glad you didn't leave."

Ron looked at her, and raised his eyebrows, "That was weeks ago . . ?"

"I know," she replied, "but the other day I had-well-a terrible dream . . . that you _did_ leave."

"Oh," he didn't really know what he was supposed to say to that, "I'm . . . sorry." He finally said lamely. He did, however, find it interesting that Hermione had been dreaming about him, "So . . . um, what else happened?"

Hermione thought, "Well . . . you eventually came back."

"Well that's good . . ."

"But then I got so mad at you for leaving in the first place, that . . ." she squinted her eyes, trying to remember, "I didn't speak to you for weeks. Then we stopped being friends all together. It was awful."

Ron smiled, "Well, now I'm really glad I didn't leave." he said, "Must have been pretty awkward being in a confined space, hunting down horcruxes, for several weeks, with someone who wasn't even your friend anymore."

"Well actually, in my dream, when you came back, we went back to Hogwarts. It was . . . very strange."

"Sounds strange."

" . . . It's really dark out tonite," Hermione comented, after a brief pause.

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "I keep expecting a dementor to come floating up to us."

Right as he said this, a light, that was spotted by both of them, appeared in the distance.

They each stared blankly at it, until Hermione whispered, " . . . What is it?"

Ron slowly stood up. Hermione followed this action.

"Dunno." Ron muttered, but as the source of the light moved closer, they both saw it resembled a doe. It appeared to be a Patronus.

When the doe moved closer, it gazed at both Ron and Hermione for several moments, then finally turned it's back to them, and started to walk away.

Ron looked at Hermione, "I think it wants us to follow it . . ."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, "Have you completely lost your mind?"

"I'm serious!" he argued, as he turned to follow the Patronus.

Hermione grabbed his arm, "What if its a trap?"

He shrugged, "Then stay here." he seemed very confident that this was not anything sinister.

"I'm not letting you go into those woods alone, Ron!" she sounded scared.

"Well, come with me then-but stay behind me."

Ron moved forward, in the direction of the doe. Hermione followed him, feeling she didn't have much of a choice.

They followed it deep into the forest, much to Hermione's discomfort, until it eventually stopped in the middle of a frozen stream, then disappeared.

Before Ron could even think to pull out his wand, he heard Hermione mutter "Lumos," and there was light again.

"Well?" she said, "What did it lead us to?"

Ron looked all around them. Not only was there nothing there, but it seemed they were alone, "I dunno," he answered, "but I don't think its a trap . . ."

Then, not really sure what he was doing, Ron carefully stepped over to the spot, on the frozen stream, that the doe had been standing a moment ago.

"Careful," Hermione muttered, fearful of the sturdiness of the ice.

Ron cautiously knelt down and brushed some of the snow off the ice. He gasped when he saw what was glinting up at him from the bottom of the stream.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"I-I think-it looks like-like . . . the sword of Gryffindor . . ."

Hermione stared wide-eyed at him, "Are you sure?"

Looking back down at the bejeweled handel, Ron nodded, "I think so."

"Well then just get it and let's go!" she still looked as if she were expecting an attack on them at any moment.

Ron pulled out his wand, "_Accio sword!_"

Nothing happened.

He looked back at Hermione, "It's not working."

Hermione then held up her wand, and said, "_Accio sword!_"

Again, nothing happened.

They looked at each other, then Ron said, "I think we're going to have get it . . . manually . . ."

"What-? you mean dive in and get it? That's insane! It's freezing!"

"Well how else are we supposed to get it?"

Hermione thought for a moment, then sighed, "Fine. Which one of us should dive into the frozen stream first, you or I?"

Ron rolled his eyes, "I'll go . . ." He walked around the spot he had brushed the snow off of, for a bit, then finally held up his wand and said, "_Diffindo!_"

With a loud crack, the ice broke, making a perfect entrance in to the frigid water.

"Where'd you put the horcrux anyway?" Ron asked, as he pulled off his shirt.

"I've got it in my pocket," she answered, trying to casually avert her eyes. "So, um, how long should I wait before I conclude that you've drowned, and try to jump in and save you . . ?"

Ron let out a breath, "Why do you think I'll need saving?"

"I don't! It's just-I don't know how long you can hold your breathe, and . . . just be careful, alright?"

When he was down to his boxers, he dipped his foot into the water and shuddered "Don't worry," he said, "I'll be fine." And with that, he jumped in.

As soon as he did, Hermione walked up, and knelt down at the opening in the ice, peering into the water.

Ron resurfaced, gasping. "This water needs some getting used to," he coughed, then dove back in.

The next time he resurfaced, it was several seconds later. He lifted the sword up out of the water and handed it to Hermione.

She grabbed it, and pulled it on to the frozen surface of the stream, then proceeded to help pull Ron out of the water.

When he got out of the water, he was panting and gasping. Hermione took off her sweater and handed it to him, "Here, try drying off with this."

"Thanks," he panted. He felt guilty, wiping his arms with her sweater, but was almost too cold to care. Then he put back on each item of clothing, as she handed them to him.

"Thanks," he said again, as she handed him his left shoe.

When he was all dressed, he stood up, went over, and picked up the sword by its handel.

Hermione pulled the horcrux out of her pocket. It seemed the tiny heart beat she held felt in it before, was pounding much faster now.

"It's like it knows it's about to be destroyed . . ." she said, as they started to make their way back to the tent.

* * *

I hope you liked, and please review!

and I _am_ working on _A Big Mistake_, so I haven't given up or anything. Same with _A Hogwart's Carol_. I do know where I'm going with both these stories, and have part of each the next chapters written, but I'm just -kinda-sorta-being lazy... :|


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